ND's interview mentions Shabbo- Article

He was the only thorn in the rose that was Jodhaa Akbar. But Sharifuddin Husain was sharp enough for Nikitin Dheer to be noticed. Son of actor Pankaj Dheer (Karna in B.R. Chopra's Mahabharata) and grandson of yesteryear Bollywood producer CL Dheer, Nikitin is set for a long Bollywood innings. Before you check out the 6-ft-4-inches hunk as the power-hungry Ghazni in Mission Istaanbul, here's a quick tete-a-tete...

How has life changed after Jodhaa Akbar?

Life is pretty much the same actually. I am looking forward to what happens with Mission Istaanbul. The problem with Jodhaa Akbar was that my look was so different from my normal self, with all that make-up, that not many people recognised me. But ever since the promos of Mission Istaanbul have started coming on TV, people have started noticing me a little bit. I have very high expectations from the movie and I hope people like me in it.

Did you sign Mission Istaanbul before Jodhaa Akbar released?

I did actually. I signed Mission Istaanbul while I was shooting for Jodhaa Akbar. Actually, the action director of Jodhaa Akbar suggested my name to the makers of Mission Istaanbul.

What were you doing before you got Jodhaa Akbar?

I was looking for work, man! Lots of struggling, actually... I struggled for six years before I got the break. Ashutosh Gowariker liked my audition and that's how it started off.

But you were playing the bad guy. Did it ever cross your mind that a cleaner start could have been better?

No, nothing like that. I got an opportunity with Jodhaa Akbar, something I hadn't got for six years. Now I have got another opportunity to present myself in a different manner in Mission Istaanbul. A more contemporary me. And with different shades to him.

What exactly are you playing in Mission Istaanbul?

I'm playing Ghazni, someone in his late 20s. He is the son of a millionaire but he has made trillions of dollars on his own. He has got this tremendous amount of self-confidence and a little bit of attitude because of the kind of wealth he has. His new obsession is the news channel Al Johara, which he wants to use as an instrument to shape world events. You can't call him black. Grey characters are fun but yes, I am in talks with people to play characters that are more positive in spirit. But I do see myself as an anti-hero. I want to establish myself as a good actor, someone who knows his job. As an actor you have to do all kinds of roles. You cannot select characters on the basis of how good or bad they are.

First film with the likes of Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai… was it intimidating?

It was a big learning experience for somebody just starting off. Yes, it was intimidating in the beginning but I had nothing to lose. And I cashed in on that attitude. My father had told me that once the camera is on, you are not you and the other actor is not him. All are characters. I trained myself to do that. I gave it my 100 per cent and I thought I held my ground. I do have the confidence to do that. I am happy people liked the character even if they didn't recognise that it was me who was playing it.

Was the atmosphere on the sets of Mission Istaanbul a sea change from Jodhaa Akbar?

Of course! I enjoyed myself much, much more on the sets of Mission Istaanbul. For one, there are more guys in this film and we had a great time together. In Jodhaa Akbar, there was only Hrithik. I did have a good rapport with him; I have a lot of respect for him as an actor and I really looked up to him. But here with Viveik (Oberoi), Zayed (Khan) and Shabbir (Ahluwalia) it was more fun. There were no tantrums. Just great chemistry.

Is it good to be part of a film with such a crowded cast?

When you start off, what is important is what you are offered and what you are doing in it. For me, I have a great role in the film. As long as you are doing your job well, it doesn't matter what others are doing.